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Thread: Vaughn Meader - The Other Victim of JFK's Assassination

  1. #1
    Jack Raines Guest

    Vaughn Meader - The Other Victim of JFK's Assassination

    Vaughn Meader (March 20, 1936-October 29, 2004) was a comedian who became extremely famous in the early 1960s for his dead-on impersonations of John F. Kennedy. His comedy album "The First Family" sold over million copies and even won a Grammy for album of the year in 1963.

    He was profiled in Time and Life magazines, appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, and played to packed houses in Las Vegas. At the time, many Americans could recite favorite lines from the record (including "the rubber schwan [swan] is mine," and "move ahead ... with great vigah [vigor]," the latter lampooning the President's own words). The album poked fun at Kennedy's PT-109 history; the rocking chairs he used for his aching back; the Kennedy clan's well-known athleticism, football games and family togetherness; children in the White House; and Jackie Kennedy's soft-spoken nature and her redecoration of the White House; among many other bits of knowledge that the public consumed voraciously.
    The parody was fairly good-natured. Kennedy himself was said to have given copies of the albums as Christmas gifts, and once greeted a Democratic National Committee group by saying, "Vaughn Meader was busy tonight, so I came myself."[1] At one press conference, Kennedy was asked if the album had produced "annoyment [sic] or enjoyment." He jokingly responded, "I listened to Mr. Meader's record and, frankly, I thought it sounded more like Teddy than it did me. So, now he's annoyed."[2]


    In March of 1963, Meader recorded a follow-up album, The First Family Volume Two, a combination of spoken comedy and songs performed by actors and comedians portraying members of the President's family and White House staff.

    But then along came a man named Lee Harvey Oswald...


    After John F. Kennedy was killed in Dallas, Texas, in November, 1963, sales of The First Family albums plummeted, and stores removed the records from their shelves as the nation went into mourning. Meader and others commented through the years that the assassin's (presumed to be Lee Harvey Oswald) bullet killed not only Kennedy, but also Meader (or, Meader's career). His act was no longer in demand and even appearances that were already booked—including those for the Grammy Awards show, the Joey Bishop show, and To Tell the Truth—were canceled.
    According to several sources, avant-garde comedian Lenny Bruce appeared at a New York nightclub the day of Kennedy's assassination. As if testing his audience's readiness to find something funny so soon after tragedy, Bruce was silent for several moments before announcing, "Vaughn Meader is screwed!" [1] Certainly, Meader discovered that he was so completely typecast as a Kennedy impersonator that he could not find anyone willing to hire him for any of his other talents. He recorded comedy albums for Verve Records, including sketches on almost anything except the Kennedys, but sales were virtually nonexistent.


    Meader sank into depression as his source of income and employment vanished, and as his newfound famous friends and associates stopped calling. His non-Kennedy albums and act interested almost no one, because the public associated his face and voice with the late President. He began using his given name, Abbott, and vowed to never again do a Kennedy impersonation (a vow he kept until his death). He also began using alcohol, cocaine, and heroin. [2]


    Meader tried several times to revive his career, but achieved only moderate success, and then mostly outside of show business. He appeared briefly in the 1974 movie Linda Lovelace for President and on the Rich Little comedy album, The First Family Rides Again, which both parodied Ronald Reagan and paid homage to the original The First Family album.
    Eventually, Meader resumed a career in bluegrass and country music, becoming a popular local performer in his native Maine.
    Meader was married four times, the last for 16 years to a woman named Sheila, until his death. The couple lived briefly in Gulfport, Florida, from 1999 to 2002, but eventually returned to Maine.
    Last edited by Jack Raines; 01-01-2008 at 04:45 PM.

  2. #2
    Jenny Mulhenny Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Raines View Post
    Meader was married four times, the last for 16 years to his wife, Sheila, until his death.
    He married his wife? Does that count as bigamy?

  3. #3
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    I have the album & it is quite funny. Story goes that JFK himself laughed at it too, but that JACKIE was not too keen on having had her 'affectations' being ridiculed. I recall one bit on the record in which the First Family is having dinner and MEADER as JFK is holding court and talking to his family as if they were the press trying to get his favor. He acknowledges his wife (to speak) and (faux) JACKIE proceeds in French. MEADER/JFK responds, "In English Jackie, in English...."

    MEADER later became a 'born again', found Jesus etcetera. When the rug got pulled from under him when the president was assassinated, he went down the tubes himself into a world of self-pity, drugs & booze.

    MEADER in 1962 with his 'Hit Record'

  4. #4
    RoRo Guest
    kinda like those musical one hit wonders

  5. #5
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    I had his albums when I was young. Thought he was funny as hell. I remember when Kennedy was asked about it and said he thought Vaughn sounded more like Teddy. Another political comedian who when down the tubes was David Fry who use to do Nixon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Frye
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  6. #6
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    We have this album, I don't think we ever played it after Kennedy's death. Interesting story, I never thought about his career after the album. Thanks for the info Jack.


  7. #7
    colz85 Guest
    I was born after 1963, but my parents had this album, which I listened to ALL THE TIME as a kid. (along with classic Cosby and Stan Freberg) Sad how it ended up for him.

  8. #8
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    Just after he died Rich Little said his big mistake was putting
    all his eggs in one basket. Meaning he should of done a few
    more famous impressions
    Last edited by theotherlondon; 01-01-2008 at 02:24 PM.

  9. #9
    NOVSTORM Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Raines View Post
    Vaughn Meader (March 20, 1936-October 29, 2004) was a comedian who became extremely famous in the early 1960s for his dead-on impersonations of John F. Kennedy. His comedy album "The First Family" sold over million copies and even won a Grammy for album of the year in 1963.

    He was profiled in Time and Life magazines, appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, and played to packed houses in Las Vegas. At the time, many Americans could recite favorite lines from the record (including "the rubber schwan [swan] is mine," and "move ahead ... with great vigah [vigor]," the latter lampooning the President's own words). The album poked fun at Kennedy's PT-109 history; the rocking chairs he used for his aching back; the Kennedy clan's well-known athleticism, football games and family togetherness; children in the White House; and Jackie Kennedy's soft-spoken nature and her redecoration of the White House; among many other bits of knowledge that the public consumed voraciously.
    The parody was fairly good-natured. Kennedy himself was said to have given copies of the albums as Christmas gifts, and once greeted a Democratic National Committee group by saying, "Vaughn Meader was busy tonight, so I came myself."[1] At one press conference, Kennedy was asked if the album had produced "annoyment [sic] or enjoyment." He jokingly responded, "I listened to Mr. Meader's record and, frankly, I thought it sounded more like Teddy than it did me. So, now he's annoyed."[2]


    In March of 1963, Meader recorded a follow-up album, The First Family Volume Two, a combination of spoken comedy and songs performed by actors and comedians portraying members of the President's family and White House staff.

    But then along came a man named Lee Harvey Oswald...


    After John F. Kennedy was killed in Dallas, Texas, in November, 1963, sales of The First Family albums plummeted, and stores removed the records from their shelves as the nation went into mourning. Meader and others commented through the years that the assassin's (presumed to be Lee Harvey Oswald) bullet killed not only Kennedy, but also Meader (or, Meader's career). His act was no longer in demand and even appearances that were already bookedâ??including those for the Grammy Awards show, the Joey Bishop show, and To Tell the Truthâ??were canceled.
    According to several sources, avant-garde comedian Lenny Bruce appeared at a New York nightclub the day of Kennedy's assassination. As if testing his audience's readiness to find something funny so soon after tragedy, Bruce was silent for several moments before announcing, "Vaughn Meader is screwed!" [1] Certainly, Meader discovered that he was so completely typecast as a Kennedy impersonator that he could not find anyone willing to hire him for any of his other talents. He recorded comedy albums for Verve Records, including sketches on almost anything except the Kennedys, but sales were virtually nonexistent.


    Meader sank into depression as his source of income and employment vanished, and as his newfound famous friends and associates stopped calling. His non-Kennedy albums and act interested almost no one, because the public associated his face and voice with the late President. He began using his given name, Abbott, and vowed to never again do a Kennedy impersonation (a vow he kept until his death). He also began using alcohol, cocaine, and heroin. [2]


    Meader tried several times to revive his career, but achieved only moderate success, and then mostly outside of show business. He appeared briefly in the 1974 movie Linda Lovelace for President and on the Rich Little comedy album, The First Family Rides Again, which both parodied Ronald Reagan and paid homage to the original The First Family album.
    Eventually, Meader resumed a career in bluegrass and country music, becoming a popular local performer in his native Maine.
    Meader was married four times, the last for 16 years to a woman named Sheila, until his death. The couple lived briefly in Gulfport, Florida, from 1999 to 2002, but eventually returned to Maine.
    I saw him before the assination. I never laughed to hard in my life. He reallyloved to nail Bobby about his climbing. He was a funny man . I was sad to hear about his death but I rreally was amazed that people seemed to drop him after JFK was killed. I still have a album that he made.

  10. #10
    Jazbabee Guest
    wow, that's rather tragic

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